Search for variability in hydrogen-poor stars

The evolutionary status of hydrogen-poor stars is analyzed.Photoelectric observations of six objects are reported as a first step of a long-term project devoted to search for variability of a large sample of hydrogen-poor stars.The observed stars show phenomena of microvariability with an amplitude of the order of 0^m. 1 or less.Two extreme helium stars have been examined: a period in the range of 0^d.162-0^d.164 has been found for BD+ 10⁰2179, andP=0^d.1079962 for BD+13⁰3324.The mass-losing O subdwarf (sdO) BD+37⁰ 443 presents short-term fluctuations with a time-scale of several minutes and long-term variations on a scale of months. The standard sdO BD+75⁰325 is probably non-variable, although light variations of very small amplitude (m0.03) with a time-scale of about 1 hr might be present. The high gravity sdO BD+25⁰4655, which is very close to the white dwarf stage, also presents variability on a time-scale of about 13 minutes, and might be an analog of the recently discovered pulsating sdO, or hot white dwarf, PG 1159-035.The variability of the intermediate helium star HD 37776 is finally confirmed.     

The equatorial photospheric rotation rate

The equatorial photospheric rotation rate has been observed on 14 days in 1978–1980. The resulting rotation rate, = 14.14±0.04°/day, is 2% slower than the rate as observed for long-lived sunspots.Stationed at Kitt Peak National Observatory.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Solar limb brightening at the extreme limb from photoelectric eclipse observations

Photoelectric observations of the light intensity from the solar crescent before and after totality were made during the eclipses of 7 March, 1970 and 26 February, 1979. Effective wavelengths were determined by interference filters of 20 nm bandwidth. To obtain the limb darkening function, the resulting intensity curves were analyzed by an extension of the method of Julius in which we take into account the actual lunar limb profile. The limb darkening function at 433 nm was obtained for the region 0.937 < sin < 0.9999. Our results are in good agreement with existing center-to-limb measurements in the region of overlap which extends to sin = 0.99. Additional data were obtained at 600 nm for 0.994 < sin < 0.9999. The curves at both wavelengths show a distinctive limb brightening effect at sin = 0.999.     

TREK: A cosmic-ray experiment on the Russian space station MIR

The goals of the TREK experiment, now in place on the MIR Space Station, are to resolve and measure the composition of both odd-Z and even-Z cosmic-ray nuclei up to uranium, to measure the isotopic composition of Fe-group nuclei, and to search for transuranic nucleic and exotic particles such as strangelets. To collect tracks of ultraheavy cosmic rays, exterior panels holding an array of BP-1 phosphate glass 1.2m² in area and 16 plates thick are now mounted outside the Kvant-2 module on MIR. Heaters and relays regulate the temperature of the glass at 25°±5°C. The detectors will record 10³ cosmic-ray tracks withZ50 during 2.5 years. An interior panel consisting of an array 0.09 m² in area and 32 plates thick and mounted on the inside wall of the Soyuz spacecraft (attached to the Space Station) will collect tracks of about 13000 Fe and 500 Ni nuclei.     

The effect of solar wind latitudinal dependence on the cosmic-ray propagation in the heliosphere

We have investigated how the latitude dependence of the solar wind velocity (SWV) influenced the cosmic-ray (CR) modulation and distribution in the heliosphere. The dependence proposed by Fry and Akasofu (1987) is used:v _SW=v _O+v ₁(1-cos ⁿ _m , where the SWV,v _SW is a function of the heliomagnetic latitude _m andv ₀ andv ₁ are constants. An estimation of the diffusion and drift terms in the transport equation is made, which shows that towards the poles the effects of the drift transfer decrease, while the diffusion terms in the equation increase due to the change of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) geometry. The numerical solutions of the two-dimensional (2-D) transport equation show that when the SWV changes with latitude: (1) The CR intensities away from the neutral sheet are larger for both IMF polarity periods in comparison with the case when the SWV does not change with the latitude. (2) The latitude gradients are negative during negative magnetic polarity periods. (3) The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 long-time observations showing greater galactic CR intensities nearer the Sun at greater distances, could be explained by the proposed model.     

Explosive hydrogen-burning model of solar flares

A model of solar flare is proposed, taking into account the high temperature (10⁹K) produced by the shock wave generated by the hydromagnetic wave at the junction of sunspot and the area just outside it and subsequent explosive hydrogen burning, producing the desired 10^28–29 ergs of a solar flare.     

Solar-type stars in Cepheus OB 2: Hα emission stars and IRAS point sources

A survey for emission line stars was carried out in 1980 with the Schmidt telescope of Konkoly Observatory in the region of IC 1396 (Kun, 1986a, hereafter referred to as Paper I). This work was aimed at a preliminary mapping of the probable medium mass members of the association Cepheus OB 2. The stars of the region have been followed since then with the same telescope in order to obtain a more complete view on the stellar content of this giant star-forming region. The common variability of the H emission strength makes the sense of repeating such surveys. The new survey resulted in the discovery of 65 further emission stars. Equatorial coordinates and finding charts are given for them.PhotographicBVRI photometry was carried out for all known emission stars of the field. The colourmagnitude and two-colour diagrams derived from theB, V, R, andI magnitudes show that these stars are probably F-G-type (1.5M <M<3M ), partly pre-Main-Sequence members of Cep OB 2, whereas a few of them may be distant red giants.The youngest objects of the region can be found among the IRAS point sources. Their properties are discussed on the basis of IRAS data alone.     

Evolution of horizontal branch stars with extension

The details of the evolution of a low-mass horizontal branch star through the asymptotic giant phase with the assumption of first an extended atmosphere and second with extended and mass including atmosphere are given in comparison with the evolution of the same model without extension.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings to the IAU on New Window to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Statistical study of optical galactic warps

A list of northern spiral NGC galaxies, with inclinations higher than 74°, and exhibiting warps have been obtained from the Palomar Sky Survey (POSS). Approximate position angles and warping angles are given for each galaxy, in order to have a first reference for statistical studies of the warping phenomenon. When we take into account that warps are not always observed (depending on their relative position with respect to the observer) the resulting frequency of warps was so high that a tentative conclusion is that all disks are warped.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Diffuse extragalactic gamma-radiation above ‘black-body cutoff’

The possible contribution of gamma-rays predicted within the universal cosmic-ray (CR) hypothesis to the energy range of CR spectrum above black-body cutoff is calculated. These gamma-rays arise from the relativistic electromagnetic cascade generated in the field of microwave background radiation (MBR). The ultra-high energy photons and electrons that initiate the cascade are produced at the decay of -mesons created in interactions of photons with the MBR. Simple analytic expression for cascade gamma-ray spectrum is obtained from the solution of kinetic equations for electrons and photons as well as for protons propagating in the MBR field. It is shown that at certain values of magnetic field and radio-wave density in the intergalactic space te flux of cascade gamma-rays may at least partly mask the black-body cutoff in the CR spectrum.Deceased, August 13, 1989.